Why care about Redlands' citrus?

Like many cities in Southern California, Redlands includes the image of oranges on the city seal. As with most Southern California cities, Redlands has lost most of the citrus groves of the early 20th century. Unlike most cities, however, Redlands still has a significant amount of land bearing citrus fruit, and the Redlands Conservancy believes this is worth celebrating.

"Citrus is what ties Redlands to its beginnings," said Rollie Moore, the conservancy's treasurer and a citrus grove owner. "The fact that we still have groves sets us apart from other communities."

For almost two decades, the conservancy has worked to protect Redlands' historic built environment and conserve the agricultural and natural environments for the benefit of today's and tomorrow's residents and visitors.

In 2005, the conservancy adopted the Inland Orange Conservancy, a community- assisted agriculture program to encourage the preservation of existing citrus groves. The IOC takes cooperative memberships from individuals; in exchange, the members receive a share of the crop, usually 10 pounds of oranges and other citrus twice a week for a season.

The IOC pays participating growers for the oranges in an amount that far exceeds what the growers would normally receive. This increased income serves as an incentive for growers to keep their land in production.

To build on this work, the conservancy's board of directors has created a Citrus Preservation Committee to examine the best procedures for preserving Redlands' citrus heritage, which is extensive.

A 1901 advertising flier for Redlands boasted that 2,500 carloads of oranges were shipped in 1900 - 1,000 more than during any previous year. Another flier claimed that Redlands was at the center of the orange- growing section of the world, and by 1910, Redlands was shipping out the greatest number of Washington navels in the Citrus Belt, according to "Images of America: Redlands."

Century-old photographs show vast acres of citrus groves surrounding large and gracious homes, proof of the prosperity brought by the luscious fruit. Indeed, the main residential streets were laid out to accommodate irrigation of the citrus groves and other farms. During the citrus boom years, more than two dozen packinghouses served the industry, and more than 15,000 acres of groves employed hundreds of people, according to "Images of America: Redlands."

By the early 20th century, the citrus industry was attracting wealthy winter visitors and residents and out-of-state investors. So important to Redlands' economy was the citrus industry at that time that the severe winter freeze of 1913 drove some growers into bankruptcy and "set back the Redlands economy until World War I."

Redlands' citrus was celebrated well into the 1950s at the Indio Date Festival and the National Orange Show. The citrus industry brought prosperity to Redlands.

Today, the remaining citrus groves, in small pockets at former grove homes and in swaths of green and gold in the Crafton area, harken back to the driver of Redlands' growth and provide many benefits to the entire community. The Redlands Conservancy believes they are worth saving as a significant piece of Redlands' heritage.

"Citrus is the uniquely important factor contributing to the feeling that Redlands is special," Moore said. "This is why the conservancy has made citrus preservation a priority for 2012 and 2013."

In the 1983 book "Redlands Yesterdays," William G. Moore wrote, "It was the setting and the feel of the place which made (Redlands) unique."

For information about the Conservancy's Citrus Preservation Committee, call 909-792-1800.